Solo Punch, Love, Drunk

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV Another day at the Iron Works was waiting for Tourmal as he woke up. While walking toward his place of employ, he the slight chill from the crisp autumn air. It had been fall for a few weeks now and the man was coming up on his third year working the forges. He had steadily raised his skill in his smithing for some time now and was nearing the point where he would be allowed to make weapons on the clock rather than his practice on his own time. He often stayed late to begin or finish up a project of his own. He mostly worked on small weapons, light hammers, daggers and the like. The man hoped to become a successful smithy. One day opening up his own shop. A few summers ago He met a young drykas woman who initiated a sparring session with. At that time Tourmal realized after a humiliating torrential downpour of strikes from his much smaller partner, he needed to learn to use the very tools he had been working so hard to create. That and He had taken a liking to her after conversing about their interests. She revealed that it would take a man who could protect her and someone she loved to be able to get her to settle down. He was not ready to settle down at all. But since moving to Syliras he had long forgotten the necessity of self-defense. In a fortress city run by knights there wasn’t much need for such skills. However the rest of the world was not so peaceful. Tourmal had heard multiple reports that due to the recent djed storms which occurred the previous spring Cyphrus was in disarray. The webbing that kept his homeland safe and held the whole of the sea of grass together had been destroyed. Tourmal guessed that this would make traveling through the vast plains much more deadly. On his way to work he stopped by the stables to say hello to Aurus his faithful strider with him he brought a few apples to feed his stallion. As he approached the horse snorted in anticipation. He had obviously seen him coming with the apples and grew excited. Tourmal loved his mount and gave him a good pat grabbing a brush and began to groom his equine coat and mane. As he did so Aurus chomped away at the fruit. After he finished the first the horse started nudging at a bulge in his chest where he hid the second apple in a pocket. “Alright boy” he said as he pulled the apple out and lay it on a bench for his steed to eat as he continued to brush him. When he was finished and it neared time for him to leave, “Sorry boy won’t be needing to ride you today” he said softly “I’ll come again after work and give you a good run then.” As he put the brush back and stood up Aurus nudged him again seemingly saying he didn’t want the man to leave. “Sorry” he said walking away and left the stables.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV As the man walked to his work place he figured he would be put to use making horse shoes again. Or maybe some other menial job. He hated not being able to work on weapons except on his own time. But there was a job to do and he would do his best. The man had work ethic even if occasionally he came in with a hangover or reeked of the night before whether booze or women. When he neared the hulking building who's windows were glowing from the forges inside a faint clanking could be heard. Originating from hammers striking metal. The sound eased him, this feeling led him to believe that this was his calling in life. If you do not enjoy your craft do something else, he thought. Smithing was his calling and he would spend another day doing so. Tourmal entered the building with a hot gush of air rushing past him as he opened the door. The sight of the works and its enormity never ceased to amaze him. Even working there three years and he had still not gotten used to it. He took off his cloak and put it in his chest by his station where sat a letter with one word on it. 'Punches'

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV “Wonderful” he said sarcastically. No one could hear him though over the noise. Having already donned his apron he grabbed his gloves put them on and grabbed a ten or so short pieces of iron. Then he brought them back to his area. He grabbed his tongs and clasped them onto the first piece he was to work. Realizing that he had not readied his fire he walked to the pile of coal next to it and shoveled some in. then saw to the bellows. As he ran them the increasing heat and physical exertion produced a few beads of sweat across his brow. One of which ran down the side of his face. In realization of this he wiped his arm across forehead only for the sweat to be replaced a few ticks later. When the fire was hot enough he grabbed the tongs again and shoved the piece of iron into the fire till it was a bright yellow. Then grabbed his hammer and began to shape it into a workable size and shape. Hammering away at the soon to be punch upsetting it to shorten its length, so it would be usable for most of the smithies there. Once it was short and thick enough he needed to re heat the metal. Sticking the metal back into the fire. He set his tongs down and worked the bellows a bit more to speed it up. Making these was tiring work and he would like to get as many done as possible. Once the metal reached its intended heat he removed it from the fire and lied it down on the anvil. As the man hammered the point to produce a somewhat rounded tip attempting to have it reach a point. He thought of home and Jasper and their first encounter. She was something else that's for sure. She had a fire he hadn't seen in anyone else. Her ability with her weapon amazed him that someone so young could be so talented. Had only he not wasted his youth mourning over his brother. He too could have been great at his profession. Though had that not happened he may have ended up a jeweler like his father. He did however spend a few years learning at the little shop in he bazaar. He didn't focus on these other things too much though. He did not want to ruin his work because of daydreaming. When the point of the punch was nearly done he stopped placed it on its tip and gave it a few good slams. Dulling the point to produce a flat circular surface about the size of a small pebble. Then tossed it in his barrel of water to cool and harden it.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV The drykas grabbed another piece of metal again heating it up while working the bellows. As he did so he went back to thinking about Jasper and how the two had sparred that early summer day. She had all but humiliated him. Causing him to drop his hammer with a swift wrap of the flat of her tulwar across his wrist. That was something he would work on. The man looked back to the metal and grabbed his tongs and took it out. Laying it on the anvil he hammered away again upsetting the piece till it was proper length. Again he drifted back to his encounter. The man let out a smirk as he recalled his ploy to retrieve his weapon. At the time he thought it a stroke of genius. However she was too quick and before he made it there she tripped him, sending their sparring session into a wrestling match. When the piece was of proper length he placed it back into the fire for further manipulating. When it was done he worked just the tip as he did the first. The wrestling match was an unexpected twist however he would not let himself lose to her. When he first grabbed her leg and wrapping his arms around it mimicking what he had seen before he did not know what to do afterward. The man chortled thinking about how oblivious he was to the fact that he had her upper thigh in an embrace that she was sure not to work herself free of. The feeling of her soft skin on his was almost too much for the man. As the point was nearly done he again place it on its end like he did the first and gave it a few good strikes. And threw it in the barrel. He took a short break before the next punch grabbing his jug of water gulping it down. Her skin was so soft. Not that he had not been with other women since then. Just, for whatever reason he could not get her off his mind. After coming out of his daydream he had realized that he became slightly aroused. So he drew his attention back to his work not wanting to pitch tent for everyone to see. Not being able to pass the time thinking about Jasper and only having finished two punches the man thought to himself. This was going to be a long day. By the end of his work day he had finished a couple dozen punches and piled them up next to his work table.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV “Thank the Gods” The man said exhaling and wiping the sweat from his brow. The man held up the bottom of his apron creating a makeshift sack. Then he slid the punches into his apron. As he removed the punches, he thought back to Jasper and her tulwar. Considering that he had been thinking about her all day he figured that he would himself make a tulwar. Most likely one that would not replace her current one. His skill was not yet up to that ability. He would need work, and he decided he would increase his skill while making a weapon like his light crushes. He would need a large piece of iron to begin the process. Tourmal would not opt to steel, until he had become competent in his craft. For now he would experiment with the cheaper of the two metals. He approached the rack of metal and grabbed a longer bar that would work for a slightly shorter tulwar. He wanted to make one that would fit his friend in length and weight. His assessment was not on spot and would likely take years of practice to become so. After taking the bar back to his station he thrust it into the fire to start the heating. Then since his fire had drawn down in heat from the time he started working the punches he fed it with more coal. Afterward he set to the bellows pumping air into the fire to get the heat up stoking it again and again until it was hot enough to heat the metal to its proper heat. Once there he checked the metal continuously waiting for it to get to a bright yellow, all the while thinking back to the smooth movements that his old sparing partner made just a few years back. Her strikes were fluid, or so he thought. He had never really sparred against anyone that was of any real skill and would later realize how behind he was. The young woman struck quickly like a snake sharp and accurately. She rarely missed her mark. Occasionally making a grand gesture sliding her blade across the air a if to slice through it as it were a sheet hanging on a line. Smooth and agile is how he saw her. The metal reached its intended temperature, at which time he removed it from the fire the cold end in hand and lay it across the anvil, hammering away.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV Slowly he molded the piece of metal into something that slightly resembled a blade. However it had cooled by then and was unworkable so he placed the metal back in the fire. He then started working the bellows and drifted back into dreamland. The man chuckled thinking back to what happened after he let go of her leg, the two circling each other ending in him losing his balance stumbling over a stone. When caught off guard by his opponent she pushed him ending with her falling on top of the larger drykas. Soon after he would lay his first kiss on her and the two switched places him on top and her below. Pulling the metal back out of the fire he returned to hammer away at it on his anvil. Slowly the man shaped it curving it slightly. As he looked at his project it started to resemble what his friend wielded. It would take a few more time of heating and hammering until it was finished. His next round he focused on shaping the sword to an angle appropriate for holding an edge. Slowly he meticulously shaped the metal closer and closer to its final shape. After another round he had brought the blade to where it only required a bit of finishing. He wished for the blade to seem clean and smooth not porous as iron normally is. After he plunged the metal into his bucket to cool and harden its outer portion. He took the blade and gave it a few good wraps against the anvil to rid it of scale. He then took a few grades of wire brushes to it to further remove the remaining scale and give the weapon somewhat of a polished look. Afterward the man took the sword to the grindstone and placed a proper edge on the blade. Following that he took out some metal polish and with a small cloth he polished the blade till it looked as steel. Save for the pores that lay scattered along the metal of course. There was only so much that a man could do to make iron look good. If ever used it would all be for naught for iron was much more soft than steel and would likely only last a few bouts before it was scored greatly needing re-finishing.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Fall 23, 512 AV Looking at his finished product he smiled. Soon he would be able to make a weapon fit for regular use unafraid of it being demolished in only a few uses. Even though he would find that it was not properly balanced nor was it perfectly shaped the blade would do its job of looking good in his room on display for others to see his early works. This blade like his flametongue from long ago meant much more to him than later better works would for it was a tribute to someone he knew. Oh the man could not wait till he would next see the girl that had been his muse for his work today. Now the only thing that it needed was a proper hilt and scabbard, pommel and all. He knew what he would do however the night was growing late and his chances to bed someone were growing thinner by the chime. As the man cleaned up his area he placed his new blade into his chest and locked it up then throwing his cloak over his shoulder donning it readying himself for the nights chilling bite. He fastened it with his brooch and gave way to the tavern he often called home. Tonight he would have a few drinks in tribute to his unknowing muse.

[Chevalier]

Tourmal

LORE

• Circular Punch
• Inappropriate Thoughts at Work
• Weaponsmithing Technique: Tulwar
• Weaponsmithing Technique: Edging

EXPERIENCE

Skill	XP Earned
Horsemanship	1
Blacksmithing	4
Weaponsmithing	3
Tactics	2

Storyteller Notes

Secret :

Some of your requested lores were a bit confusing, but I thought these ones were pretty relevant and valuable. Any questions, let me know! Oh, and the tactics were for reminiscing on the previous battle and the techniques used.